The Recognition Of Ramesh K. Srivastava

The creative writings of Ramesh K. Srivastava have drawn a fairly good number of critical articles and book reviews which were periodically published in various newspapers, magazines, literary journals and anthologies scattered all over India. Some of the critical articles on his works have already been published in Smita Das (edited) anthology Ramesh K. Srivastava: Man and his Work (Authorspress). Now an attempt is being made to collect and publish book reviews also. The present anthology consists of about 60 book reviews on seven collections of short stories, two novels Neema and Coils of the Serpent, one book of essays and an autobiography titled My Father’s Bad Boy. It has been done mainly to facilitate readers and researchers of the author’s creative writings. In its absence, it would have been extremely difficult for anyone to find out the progressive growth and recognition of the author. The Preface to the anthology gives a bird’s eye-view of Srivastava’s growing recognition from his earliest short story in 1955 to the present day. K. V. Chacko, reviewing the first anthology of his short stories— Love and Animality: Stories , wrote: “ Ramesh K. Srivastava is a gifted writer of stories who knows the tricks of his trade well—an endearing narrative, nearly impeccable language and appropriate technique to deliver an interesting theme into the reader’s lap as a short story.”